The atrium's alive...

... With the sound of music, thanks to 82-year-old Pukenui resident Wiki Karena.

Te Ahu's atrium has hosted a number of dance and musical performances in the less than 12 months since it was officially opened, but it is Mr Karena who regularly takes advantage of the publicly-accessible Yamaha piano. In fact, every time he travels to Kaitaia he takes time to tickle the ivories.

"He loves to play," his wife Norma, who often accompanies him on his musical forays into the acoustically-interesting atrium, said last week.

"The first thing he does in the morning is sit down to play on his piano.

"All the neighbours open their windows to enjoy the music."

Mr Karena taught himself to play the piano his aunt bought from a teacher who was leaving Te Kao School, although he can't have always had a great deal of time to indulge his passion.

Born at Te Kao in 1930, he left home at the age of 12 to move into a Maori boys' hostel in Auckland. After studying carpentry and completing his trade apprenticeship, he began work for Sir James Fletcher, helping to build state houses in Tamaki, Huntly and other areas. All told he laboured for 30 years on the harbour front in Auckland before retiring.

It was then that the Far North called Mr Karena home, and he and his wife have lived at Pukenui ever since.

"Wiki has an uncanny knack for arriving just when a tour or other function is going on, prompting people to think his performance was arranged ahead of time," Te Ahu library assistant John Haines said.

"On the Saturday when Te Ahu's art space was launched with exhibits by Robin Shepherd and Raewyn Crozier, Wiki was there. One visitor was overheard saying, 'I could be in Auckland. We've got coffee, art and music. And this is Kaitaia'!"

Mr Karena free-wheels through a broad range of easy-listening favourites from artists as diverse as Perry Como, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. Visitors love it and often stop to chat with the talented octogenarian. And he takes it all in his stride.

"Not bad for someone who can't read music," he said.